Accelerator control device



Oct. 7, 1941; H. D. GONDERMAN ACCELERATOR COI JTROL DEVICE Filed May 11,1940 #42040 0.- o/vafip/m/v 1N VENTOR. WW

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 7, 1941 2,258,007 ACCELERATOR CONTROL DEVICE Harold D.Gonderman, Nappanee, Ind; assignor ofdone-half to George D. Martin,Nappanee,

' L Application May 11, 1940 Se rialN0. 334,482

8 Claims. (o1.192'--s) v This invention relates to accelerator controldevices. Considerable trouble, which commonly leads to excessivefatigue, is experienced by clriversof motor vehicles on long trips, andthis may even lead to physical disability of individuals whocontinuously undergo this condition' over long periods of time. This iscaused by the fact that in trucks, busses and automobiles,=theaccelerator control constitutes a pedal which is generally so positionedand constructed that the operator must constantly hold his foot thereonas long as the Vehicle is operated, if safe operation is to be achieved.1

;By reason'of the fact that in the conventional construction of trucks,busses and the like the brake pedal and clutch pedal are positioneddirectly in front of the operator for safety purposes, 'the position oftheaccelerator pedal is slightly to'one side of the position of theoperator. Hence, on long trips, the driver is faced with the ecessity ofcontinuously holding his leg at an unnatural position in order toconstantly maintain his foot on the accelerator pedal. The combinedfactors of unnatural position and inability toshift the leg muscles tore-' lieve the; strain thereon incident'to said position, frequentlyresult in a cramped muscle condition in the legs of the operator. Thisis especially true with truck drivers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, andothers who drive a motor vehicle for a large proportion of their workinghours and for long periodsat a time. I

"The cramped condition extends throughout the muscles of the entire legand becomes very painful. To counteract the condition, many such driversare forced to rub theleg muscles and to apply lin'ament thereto quitefrequently at stops; and it is well recognizedamong such drivers that acramped leg condition is one or the occupational disabilities towhichthey are subject. In some instances, the condition has' been knownto create more or less of an'atrophy in the leg muscles. There have evenbeen cases wherein the legha's become shortened with resulting crippling'o f the operator. Also, there have been instances in which the operatorhas become paralyzed in-one leg forsubstantialperiods of time and to anextent rendering him unfit forwork and requiring medical treatment for along time. f Iti's', therefore the primary object of this inventiori toprovide a control mechanismoperable by foot and adapted to retainanydesired adjustment, so that the operator need notcohtihuouslymaintain his foot upon the accelerator pedal.

will provide the convenience of accelerator control through afoot pedal,while at the 'same'tim'e eliminating the necessity for constant contactwith the pedal. i 1 F Y A further object is to provide a novel device bymeans of which any desired's'etting of 'an accelerator maybe maintained,subject to instan-' taneous release for safety purposes. i

A further object is to provide an accelerator control device with meansfor maintaining the accelerator in any desired position, together withmeans associated with a brake pedalfor'return ing-the accelerator pedalto idling position upon brake operation.

A further object is to provide an accelerator control device with anadjustable pedal whose position may be adjusted in conformity with theneeds of'any particularoperator; V

A further object is to-provide a device. ofthis character having amember connected with a throttle valve for-control of the throttle valveupon longitudinal movement of the member, together with spring pressedmeans acting "upon the longitudinal member'for releasably locking saidmember in any desired position or longitudinal adjustment.

'Other'objects will be apparent from the def scription and appendedclaims.

In the drawing: i Fig. 1' is a fragmentary sectional view of the foot'board of a motor vehicle showing in elevation a foot accelerator, brake"pedal, vehicle engine and associated parts, with my invention appliedthereto.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view directed upwardly andrearwardly at the acceler-' ator, brake and clutch pedals.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail sectional viewof one 'element of myinvention.

Fig. 4 is a view of the cable with a spring section. I

Referring to the drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment ofthe invention; the numeral l0 designates a vehicle frame which supportsan internal combustion engine I l ,and a footboard having'an inclinedportion I2 and a vertical portion [3. The vehicle is provided with theusual steering post 14, and the engine is'providediwith' the usualintake manifold 'l 5 and carburetor lir having ajcontrol lever ll. Theclutch pedal-l8 is suitablymounted on a clutch-oper- 'atin'grod or othermember [9, and brake pedal zfiissui tably mounted upon a brake operating7 rod or memberZ I. It will be understood that the A further object istofprovidea'device which constructions as here illustrated 'are forpurposes of illustration only, and that any conventional form formounting the clutch and brake pedals may be utilized, said pedals l8 and20 each comprising a portion extending upwardly from the inclined floorboard l2 through opening 22 with the operating mechanisms l9 and 2|thereof being disposed beneath the foot board l2.

Any suitable accelerator pedal 23 is mounted in the usual position tothe right of the brake pedal 20 as viewed by the operator, andpreferably is of a length to receive both the ball and the heel of thefoot. The pedal 23 preferably includes a projection 24 intermediate itsends pivoted at 25 to a supporting memberlfi which is secured to thefoot board 1 2 by nuts 21 above and below the board. The mounting member26 is preferably of such a length that the spacing of the pedal from thefoot board l:2 may be readily adjusted by means of nuts 21; and ifdesired, by the use of a U-bolt type of mounting (not shown), the pivot25 may assume a position at an angle to the plane'of the foot board l2.Suitable lugs 28 project :from the bottom ,face of the front or upperend of the accelerator pedal 23, and have pivoted thereto at 29 a link30 extending freely through an opening 3] in foot board 12. 1A bracket.32 is carried by the front side of the vertical foot board l3 and haspivoted thereto at .33 a bell-crank lever. One arm 34 of the bell cranklever is pivoted to link 30 at 35. The other arm ,36 of the bell cranklever is pivoted at 3] with ,a link 38 extending substantiallyhorizontally forwardly for pivotal connection at 39 with the throttlevalve operating lever IT.

The normal or idling position of the parts, as shown in full lines inFig. 1, is such that the portion 36 of the bell crank lever is slightlyinclined in a forward direction, and is spaced from the foot board topermit swinging thereof to rea ryvard ly inclined position. Rearwardswinging of the bell crank imparts a pull upon the throttle valve leverl'l by'substantially longitudina-l movement of the link 38.

Suitably supported upon the engine H at a point between the carburetorand the bell crank lever is a cylindrical housing 40 provided with asuitable mounting base 4|, The outer end of the member 40 is open and isexternally screw threaded. A closure cap 42 is threaded on said member.The member 40 is elongated and has a pair :of openings '43 formedtherein in diametricallv opposed relati n n r-mediate its Iengt forpassage of the link 38 therethrough. The openings 43 are preferablyvertically elongated to accommodate a limited amount of vertical playand an ular tilting of link 38. A coil spring 44 is mounted at the innerend .of the housing 44!, and presses a plate 145 in an outward directionagainst the rod 38. A coil spring 45 in the outer end of member 40presses upon a" bearing plate 41 in opposed relation to plate 45, saidspring tfi'beine retained by the cap 42.

It will be seen from the above that whenever the accelerator pedal 23 istilted to shift the longitudinal position of the horizontal link 38connected with the throttle valve lever H, such longitudinal movemen ofd 38 is es s ed y r the spring pressed plates 45 and 41; and that when adesired position of the accelerator pedal 23 has been set, he spring p ee plates 45 an 41 will serve to maintain the same. For this purpose, theplates 45 and 41 are preferably formed in .a manner to provide asubstantial area .of friction contact with the rod 38. Hence, when theaccelerator pedal 23 has once been set,

the driver may remove his foot therefrom and permit his leg to assume anatural and comfortable position, thereby eliminating all possibility ofcramping of the leg muscles.

Should any emergency arise, the operator may quickly kick the pedal toeither further depress the same in accelerating direction or release thesame to idling position, and thereafter be free to operate the brake.However, for safety purposes, it is desirable that the accelerator pedal23 may be automatically restored to idling position at any time whenimmediate operation of the brake pedal '20 is necessary. For thispurpose there is here shown mounted upon the brake operating shaft 2|, alever 50, although it will "be understood that the lever 50 mayconstitute a rojection from the pedal 20 per se. This lever 50 has ashort cable 5i connected or secured to its outer .end. The cable 5|passes through an opening 52 in the foot board [2 and is connected atits opposite end to the rear end of the accelerator pedal23 at 53.

The parts are sopositioned that when the accelerator pedal 23 is inidling position and the brake pedal 20 and lever 50 are in releasingposition, the cable 5| will be slack. The length of the cable is suchthat only the maximum depression of the pedal '23 in accelerating.direction will tighten the cable 50 while the brake pedal 20 remains inreleasing position. Also the length of the lever 50, the point ofconnection of cable 5l therewith, and the point of connection of thecable with the accelerator pedal are all so adjusted that when theaccelerator pedal 23 is in idling position, and the brake pedal 20 isin'maximum depressed position, the cable will again be tight.

It will readily be seen that this arrangement of the parts is such that,assuming the accelerator pedal to be adjusted to a position for desiredspeed labove idling speed, operation of the brake pedal tightens thecable 5| before full brake releasing position is reached, and continuedopertion of 1 the brake pedal will pull upon the cable and upon theaccelerator pedal to return the latter to idling position. Hence, thereis no disadvantage in the fact that the accelerator pedal will normallymaintain any position to which it has been set by the operator. From thestandpoint of safety, it will be-observed that in any emergencywherein'the driver would, as a matter of course, operate the brakepedal, the very action of operating the brake pedal will serve to returnthe accelerator to idling position. The cable will preferably include anextensible position such as a spring 55, to accommodate adjustment orvariation of the throw or range of movement of the brake pedal.

It will be understood that the device as herein described andillustrated is illustrative only of the novelty and utility of thisinvention, and that the invention is susceptible of other embodimentsthan that illustrated.

I claim:

1. The combination with an automotive vehicle having an engine, athrottle valve, and root operated means for controlling saidvalveincluding a longitudinally shiftable element, of a housing fixed onsaid engine and having a pamagc therein through which said elementloosely extends, and spring pressed means carried by said housing andpressing transversely against said element t releasably clamp saidelement in selected position.

2. The combination with an automotive vehicle having an engine, athrottle valve, and foot operated means for controlling said valveincluding a longitudinally shiftable element, of an elongated housingfixed on said engine and having diametrically opposed openings thereinthrough which said element loosely extends, and

springs in opposite ends of said housing pressing inwardly against saidelement.

3. The combination with an automotive vehicle having an engine, athrottle valve, and foot operated means for controlling said valveincluding a longitudinally shiftable element, of an elongated housingfixed on said engine and having diametrically opposed openings thereinthrough which said element loosely extends, springs in opposite ends ofsaid housing pressing inwardly toward said element, and friction platesengaging said element and pressed into clutching relation to saidelement by said springs.

4. Accelerator control means adapted for use with a longitudinallyshiftable accelerator element, comprising an elongated housing havingopposed openings intermediate its length in which said element is freelyshiftable, and spring pressed members in said housing pressing againstopposite sides of said element.

5. The combination with an automotive vehicle having an engine, athrottle valve, a brake pedal, and an accelerator pedal for controllingsaid valve, said accelerator pedal having an idling position, offrictional means for holding said controlling means in selectedposition, and lost motion means actuated by said pedal for returningsaid controlling means t idling position against the action of saidholding means, said lost motion means accommodating actuation of eitherpedal without interference from the other when the other is in normalinoperative position.

6. The combination with an automotive vehicle having a throttle valve, abrake pedal, and means for controlling said throttle valve including apivoted foot pedal, of means for normally holding said controlling meansin. selected position, a member juxtaposed to said foot pedal andshiftable by said brake pedal in a direction op posite that in whichsaid foot pedal is shifted, and a cable connected at its ends to saidshiftable member and foot pedal at points thereof having paths ofmovement of substantially equal lengths, said cable being of a lengthequal to the distance between the inoperative position of one pedal andnormal operative position of the other pedal.

7. The combination defined in claim 6, wherein said cable includes anextensible portion accommodating depression of said brake pedal beyondnormal operative position.

8. The combination defined in claim 6, wherein said cable includes anextensible coil spring element as a portion thereof.

HAROLD D. GONDERMAN.

